Introduced in 1909, Columbia’s expensive Grafonola Deluxe featured a handsome upright cabinet decorated with lion heads columns. This machine was available in two versions: as a straight 78rpm phonograph, and for $25 extra as a combination phonograph and disc music box, as in the example here. An almost identical version was also sold as a Style 240 Reginaphone.
The Grafonola Deluxe differed from its Reginaphone sibling in only minor ways. The Regina data plate was replaced with a data plate from the American Graphophone Company, and a greater part of the storage at the base of the cabinet was devoted to shellac records rather than metal discs.
A 15.5 inch double comb Regina short bedplate movement was fitted to the machine. This late development is considered the best sounding, most acoustically advanced of all Regina movements. This model is relatively scarce, and has always been highly desired by collectors. I don’t know how many were manufactured, but the Bowers Encyclopedia of Automatic Musical Instruments indicates that only around 350 serial numbers were allocated to the Style 240 Reginaphone. This wonderful cabinet is in the original finish. Measures 24″ x 22″ and 51″ height. This came from a collector who originally had purchased from a museum in Kansas.
